When the leaves start doing their whole dazzling “fall colours” thing, that’s a good reminder to take nature’s cue and check out the local galleries. As the Nova Scotia slogan says, there’s so much to see.

Sobey Art Award shortlist exhibition

From September 26 until January, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia shows exhibits of the five exceptional shortlisted artists for the Sobey Art Award. This year’s nominees are Raymond Boisjoly (West Coast), Sarah Anne Johnson (Prairies/North), Abbas Akhavan (Ontario), Jon Rafman (Quebec) and Lisa Lipston (Atlantic). The award itself, one of the biggest cash prizes in Canadian arts, is presented on October 28 at the AGNS. Best of luck to Lisa Lipton—and the other nominees too, of course.

I AM NSCAD

Tuesday, September 29-Friday, October 9, Anna Leonowens Gallery, 1891 Granville St. Closing reception and sale at the gallery on Friday, October 9, 5-9pm

For the first time in decades, NSCAD’s Alumni Association is putting on a show of alumni work. Planning started last February, and the request for submissions asked graduates to consider the I AM NSCAD title and think about the implications of being associated with such a significant institution. “We had incredible success with the call,” says organizer Kelly Markovich, who’s received artwork from every province, all over the US, plus Panama, England, India and Hong Kong. At last count it had 165 submissions, with most going up for sale at the end to benefit the association’s scholarship fund. “If it goes well,” says Markovich, “hopefully it will be a biennial event.”

Rachel Major, BFA 1994 Hanging Meat, 2013. COURTESY THE ARTIST

Katy Jean—The Exhibit and Haikus

Twitter wizard Katy Jean is bringing a little bit of @DartmouthHaiku to The Dart, and we can’t wait to see her blend of art and poetry IRL, given how awesome it is online. Consider this mid-summer effort, evocative of warm nights and too-tight-knit communities: Grilling hamburgers.. I’m the good smelling neighbour Finally, I win.

Mosaic for Mental Health

Now in its seventeenth year, the Mosaic for Mental Health project is still going strong. Artists from across the country pitch in and donate 6”x6” tiles that sell for $25 each, with proceeds benefitting the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Halifax-Dartmouth chapter.

DART WARS

As you’ve doubtlessly heard, there’s something big coming from the Star Wars universe to our universe in December: the pop culture geniuses at the Dart Gallery are putting on a Star Wars-themed show. Curators are tight-lipped about who is participating, but we’re pretty sure the artists involved will be using the force. DART WARS is reportedly timed to coincide with a Hollywood offering called The Force Awakens, but we know nothing about that.